(CNN) -
Freddy, a Great Dane celebrated by Guinness World Records as the tallest dog in the world, has died.
The dog, who lived in Essex, England with his owner Claire Stoneman, measured 103.5 cm from toe to withers, or the highest point on a dog's back.
When it stood, it towered over people to a whopping 226 centimeters.
In terms of height, Freddy was somewhere between the NBA greats LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal.
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The dog lived to be 8 1/2 years old, Guinness World Records said Wednesday.
Most dogs of this breed live between 8 and 10 years, according to the American Kennel Club.
He was my life.
My reason.
My happiness.
My annoyance, ”Claire Stoneman told Guinness World Records.
«My happiness and my greatest sadness.
He was my heart.
My one in a million and loved by the whole world.
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Freddy the Great Dane, left, with owner Claire Stoneman and her sister Fleur.
“He was not only the tallest dog, but the dog with the most love and the biggest heart.
A total dummy who was hand fed, "he added.
Freddy was once the dwarf in his litter and couldn't even feed on his mother, according to Stoneman, who revealed that she had adopted him weeks earlier than she should have.
"Freddy was such a gentle giant, and it was always a pleasure to see him jump at you," Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said in a statement.
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I still can't believe it was the dwarf in the litter.
Freddy made everyone smile and at Guinness World Records everyone will miss him.
I am glad to have had the opportunity to celebrate its record vastness and share its story with millions of people around the world.
Stoneman later said in a Facebook post that he has "fought back tears that won't stop falling," but finds comfort in knowing how much he loved Freddy.
Guinness RecordsDog
